Latch



Patented duly 3G, 1929.

ears

JOHANNES KOSTEN, OF VALKER TOVJNSHIP, KENT COUNTY, MCGAN, ASSIGNOR T GRAND RAPDS :BRASS COMPANY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, ll'ICI-IGAN, A COR-P(333MB.-l

TGN OF MICHIGAN.

Application filed. September 20, 1926. Serial No. 136,462.

T he present invention relates to latches for refrigerator doors and the like; and its obliect is, generally, to provide a latch improved in certain respects .hereinafter appearing; and more particularly, to provide a latch having improved and simple means for yieldingly holding the latching bolt in certain positions; and further, to provide such a latch adapted to be secured to a door swingably mounted at either of its sides or edges.

This and any other and more specific objects hereinafter appearing vare attained by, and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the structure hereinafter particularly described in the body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of a latch and its keeper;

Figure 2 is a left-hand side view thereof, but showing the latching bolt in retracted position;

Figure 3 is an inner side view of the latchs casing, showing operative parts therein; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the latch and casing taken on line 4--4- of Figure 3.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by the accompanying drawings, a latch is shown mounted on a door 1, its keeper 2 being mounted on the door frame 3. |This latch comprises a latching bolt 4 swingably mounted on a pivot pin 5 and having an o perating handle port-ion 6 and an oppositely extending portion 7 adapted to latchingly engage in the recess 8 of the keeper to hold the door shut. A spring 9 has a middle portion 10 provided with recesses, viz: a middle recess 11 and recesses 12, 13 spacedl on the opposite sides of said middle recess. The bolt 4 has a lateral extension 14 desirably provided with an anti-friction roll which in the latching position of the bolt, shown in solid lines in Figure 3, is received in, and yieldingly held by, the middle recess 11, and

' which in the retracted position of the bolt,

shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, is similarly received in, and yieldingly held by, the upper recess 12, said roll being, in the oppositely retracted position of the bolt, received in, and yieldingly held by, the lower recess 13; so that, in its latching or operative position or in either of its retracted positions, the bolt 4 is held yieldingly by the pressure of said spring 9.

jlt will be seen that, in the case of a door swingably carried at its right-hand side or edge, the bolt 4 will be yieldingly held retracted in one of the recesses 12 or 13; whereas, 1n the case of a door swingably carried at its left-hand side or edge, the vbolt 4 will be yieldingly held retracted in the other of said recesses 13 or 12, thel latch being thus. adapted for` mounting on doors swingably carried at either of their sides or edges.

The spring 9 as shown in Figure 3- comprises said middle portion-10 having the spaced recesses 11, 12 and 13,v the ends 15 held against movement by abuttingon the f internal surface 16 of the latchs casing 17, and U-shaped. portions 18 intermediate said ends respectively and said middle portion 10. lt will be seen that by the provision of these U-shaped portions in the parts of the spring whichextend from the opposite ends of the middle portion 10 to the ends or eX- tremities of the spring, the resilience of the spring throughout its length is utilized, the spring iexing in the shape indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 when the anti-friction roll is held in the upper recess 12, and oppositely when said roll is held in the lower recess 13. The wall 2O of the casing holds this spring against lateral movement in one direction, the bolt 4 itself holding the spring against opposite lateral movement. llfhen the open door 1 is slammed shut, the bolts portion 7 strikes and rides up on the slanting face 21- of the keeper and is moved to retracted position, and thereupon strikes the inclined portion 22 of the keeper and is thereby moved downwardly and into latching engagement in the keepers recess 8. The door is opened by pressing the bolts handle portion 6 downwardly far enough to raise its opposite portion 7 above the high point 23 of the keeper, or to permit the bolt to be urged to such height Linder the action of the spring 9. It will `be seen that the latching bolt 4 is yieldingly held in its operative position in the recess 11, or in retracted position in the recess 12 or 13 (as the case may be) until the bolt is moved by hand or by the slanting face 21 of the keeper or byits inclined portion 22 far enough to carry it past the -high point between the central recess 11 and the recess 12 or 13 toward which it is moving, whereupon the spring 9 urges the bolt into the position toward which it is thus moving.

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not to be` limited 'to or lll) by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated b y the drawings or hereinbetore described.

I claim: .Y

l. In combination With a keeper therefor, a latch comprising: a pivot pin; a bolt mounted thereon swingably to a position latchingly engaging the keeper, and in either direction therefrom to retracted position, and having a lateral extension; a springl having a recess receiving and yieldingl)7 holding said extension in the holts latching position and recesses spaced `on opposite sides of the ir'st- Y mentioned recess and respectively receiving and yieldingly holding said extension in a n retracted position of the bolt.

2. In combination with a keeper therefor, a latch comprising: aswingahly mounted bolt movable toa position latchingly engaging the'keeper and'to a retractedposition and having' a lateral extension; a spring having a'middle portion provided With spaced recesses receiving` and yieldingly holding lsaid extension inthe bolts said positions respectively, ends held against movement, U-shaped portions intermediate said ends respectively and said middle portion.

8. In coinbinationwith a keeper therefor,

a latch comprising: a swingahly mounted bolt movable to a position latchingly engaging the keeper and to a retracted position and having a lateral extension; a spring having a middle portion provided With spaced re cesses receiving and yieldingly holding said extension in the bolts said positions respectively, ends, and U-shaped portions intermediate said `ends respectively and said middle portion; a casing` containing the spring and having a surface on Which its said ends abut and a Wall holding the spring against lateral movement.

4l. In combination With. a keeper therefor, a latch comprising a swingably mounted bolt movable to a position latehingly engaging the keeper and to a retracted position and having a lateral extension; a spring' having a middle portion provided With a recessreceiving and yieldingly holding said extension U in one ot the bolts said positions and having also ends held against movement ya-"nd U- shaped portions intermediate said ends respectively and said middle portion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at .Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 16th day of September, 1926. y

JOHANNES KOSTEN. 

